Aluminum Flywheel, Turbo,RX8 (Does NOT include rear counterweight)

Racing Beat-designed RX-7 flywheels are both engineered and manufactured by Racing Beat for a wide variety of rotary performance applications. This Racing Beat Aluminum Flywheel can be used on all 1987-95 RX-7 13B turbo engine and all 2004-2011 RX-8.  As designed by Racing Beat, this aluminum flywheel is compatible with all turbo/Renesis 240mm Mazda Factory and Racing Beat clutch discs.

Note: As of 2/2012 the Racing Beat Lightweight Steel and Aluminum Flywheel kits include the hardware kits; however, the required rear counterweights are available separately – see below.

Applications
This RX-7 flywheel is best-suited for use on high performance street, autocross, track, and racing applications. The performance benefits of an aluminum flywheel are well-established: improved throttle response, quicker engine revving, and improved shifting efficiency.

Although Racing Beat Aluminum Flywheels can certainly be used for daily-driven street vehicles, the modest torque output of the earlier 13B engine combined with the reduced mass of the aluminum flywheel will require a bit more technique during clutch engagement when starting the vehicle from a standing start.  This is especially true when using a higher clamping force pressure plate and more aggressive clutch disc. If this is a concern, you may want to consider the heavier Exedy Steel Flywheel as an alternative.

Precision Machining
The Racing Beat RX-7/RX-8 aluminum flywheel kit both reduces the flywheel weight up to 55% and reduces the flywheel inertia up to 80%, as compared to the Mazda Factory OEM cast iron component.  Precision CNC machined from 6061-T6 aluminum, our flywheel assembly is mated to a Mazda OEM ring gear and finished with an extremely durable, and easily replaceable clutch disc friction plate. Each friction plate is machined from A-36 steel and hardened using a ferritic carburizing heat-treating process, creating an extremely durable clutch disc contact surface. The friction plate is retained to the aluminum flywheel unit using aircraft-spec bolts and lightweight nuts. The ring gear is thermally-mated to the flywheel and bolted in place for added security to prevent slippage during engagement of the starter motor.

Weight Comparison
2004-2011 RX-8 Stock Flywheel: 16.8 lbs
Racing Beat Aluminum Flywheel: 8 lbs

Retaining Critical Engine Balance
The installation of an aftermarket flywheel requires the use of a Mazda rear counterweight unit to ensure critical balance of the internal rotating assembly (engine rotors). As produced by Mazda, the original stock rotary flywheel features a pronounced balancing mass included in the flywheel casting. This balancing mass, combined with the stock front counterweight unit, provides the correct balance required for the optimal rotational operation of the engine rotors.

To allow an aftermarket aluminum flywheel to be used on several different rotary engine applications, this balancing mass is eliminated from the design of the rotary flywheel. However, this critical balancing mass must be replaced with an alternative balance weight or risk severe engine damage due to an “unbalanced” engine. A convenient alternative is to install an appropriate rear counterweight from an automatic transmission-equipped RX-7. Racing Beat offers this counterweight separately if needed.

Rear Counterweight (Required)
All Racing Beat flywheels require an automatic transmission rear counterweight for correct operation.

Installation Hardware
Racing Beat Flywheel kits include the flywheel unit and the appropriate mounting hardware, which includes the appropriate tensile-strength hardware to attach the pressure plate to the flywheel.  DO NOT use other aftermarket flywheel mounting kits with the Racing Beat flywheels.

We strongly recommend replacing the throwout bearing during any clutch work to ensure trouble free performance. Also, we recommend replacing the transmission front and rear seal kit when re-installing the transmission to reduce the possibility of leakage.

Safety Warning
None of the flywheel or clutch components shown in this site should ever be allowed to exceed 10,500 RPM under any condition. This same RPM limit applies to stock components. You must use an engine RPM-limiter to prevent excessive RPM. If your engine is capable of exceeding 8,500 RPM you must install a transmission scatter shield, or ballistic blanket. Failure to implement the above may result in serious injury or even death.

It may be hard to believe, but in our personal RX8’s AND customer cars, this ALUMINUM FLYWHEEL really does give the best ACCELERATION increase, for a relatively modest cost – especially if you are in there doing a clutch.

Don’t forget you need to purchase the REAR COUNTERWEIGHT also.